Remember that Ming-Chi Kuo investor note that was republished by AppleInsider last week, which claimed that Apple might not reduce the price of the current-generation iPhone X come September, but instead discontinue it? Well, that fairly mundane rumour was spun by all sorts of writers into an apocalyptic nightmare scenario where Apple’s flagship iPhone is barely selling and would be cancelled.

An Elite Daily writer interpreted this investor note as though no future iPhones would look or feel like the iPhone X, but Kuo’s note says that Apple will have three iPhones shipping this year with Face ID and iPhone X-like screens. A Complex writer even went so far as to claim that the iPhone X is “dead”.

The Macalope isn’t surprised by what Kuo actually said at all. To him the idea behind the iPhone X has been to serve as an advanced technology release. Of course, pundits have long been after Apple to update the iPhone form factor more frequently. So it makes perfect sense they’d use a rumor of Apple updating the form factor more frequently against the company at the first chance.

I don’t think there’s a vendetta against Apple here, or anything like that. I just think some hack writers love the idea, however imaginary, of Apple’s flagship release being a complete bust. If you were to play a game of Telephone with a bunch of bad-faith writers and Kuo’s note, you’d get a similar result.